1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a bicycle wheel securing structure. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bicycle wheel securing structure for detachably securing a wheel to the frame of a bicycle.
2. Background Information
A bicycle wheel securing structure for detachably securing a wheel to the frame of a bicycle is conventionally known (for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,537,291). A conventional bicycle wheel securing structure comprises a shaft member, a head member, a lever member and an adjustment member. The shaft member comprises a threaded portion that can be screwed to the frame. The head member is movable in an axial direction with respect to the shaft member. The head member rotates with the shaft member. The lever member is movably provided on the head member around an axis that intersects with the axial direction. The lever member moves the shaft member in the axial direction with respect to the head member by moving the lever member. The adjustment member has a male threaded portion that screws into the outer peripheral surface of the head member and the adjustment member also has a slit for stopping the rotation. By narrowing the width of this slit with the threaded member, the rotation of adjustment member is stopped on the outer peripheral surface of the head member. The adjustment member is movable in the axial direction to adjust the position of the lever member around the axis. The adjustment member is provided so that the lever member is disposed along the frame. The adjustment member can abut the frame.
In a conventional wheel securing structure configured in this way, when securing a wheel to the frame, the threaded member of the adjustment member is loosened so that the adjustment member is turned to a position that is further retracted than the head member. In this state, the lever member is disposed in a direction along the hub shaft and then is turned around the hub axis in a tightening direction. This turning of the lever member causes the thread of the shaft member to be screwed into the frame. When the shaft member is screwed into the frame, if the lever member is pivoted in a direction that intersects the axial direction, the shaft member is drawn into the lever member side due to the action of the cam. At this time, if the final position of the lever member is not along the frame (for example, the front form, the chain stay, or the seat stay) but is away from the frame, there is the risk that the lever member will hit an obstacle. In order to avoid this, in a conventional wheel securing structure, when the lever member is pivoted, the lever member is screwed into a position in which the lever member would be disposed along the frame and the adjustment member is turned in this state to put the adjustment member in contact with the frame. Then, the threaded member is tightened to stop the rotation of the adjustment member. When the rotation of the adjustment member is stopped, the lever member is pivoted around an axis that intersects the axial direction and the lever is rotated to the final fixing position to complete the securing of the wheel. With this kind of configuration, the gap between the head member and the frame can be adjusted with the adjustment member, so that the final fixing position of the lever member can be adjusted. Furthermore, as long as the frame is the same, when removing the wheel and resecuring the wheel, the final fixing position of the lever member does not have to be readjusted.